r8 Depaktmem of Agriculture 



first to the larger number of healthy colonies to gather nectar, and 

 second, to the renewed courage of the beekeeper who gives the bees 

 better attention. 



Thorough inspection in any other part of the State will bring 

 equally gratifying results; in fact, it is reasonable to suppose that 

 because of the smaller number of box hives and box-hive beekeepers, 

 better results could be secured in some other localities. 



European foulbrood has been found in every county in the State 

 except Gloucester and Hudson; and American foulbrood in all 

 except Atlantic, Cape May, Mercer and Ocean. This indicates 

 how widespread the disease has become, and the fact that there 

 are upwards of 12,000 colonies of bees in the State gives some 

 idea of the magnitude of the problem of disease control. 



To get a correct idea of the amount of the disease in the State 

 it would be necessary to inspect every colony of bees each year. 

 However, from the data available from the work which has been 

 done, a fairly reliable estimate of the amount and distribution of 

 the disease can be had. 



There are a considerable number of beekeepers who are pro- 

 gressive and who give their bees such attention that brood diseases 

 are not likely to cause them any serious trouble. Their number 

 is increasing at an encouraging rate. 



The maps (fig. 2-6) show the approximate number of apiaries in 

 each county, the number of apiaries inspected each year, the form 

 of diseases found and the number of apiaries infected. 



Some of the counties, it will be seen, have been quite thoroughly 

 inspected. American foulbrood, it will be noticed, is, with one 

 or two exceptions, confined to the upper half of the State, while 

 European foulbrood is quite generally distributed over the whole 

 State and is the form of disease which is threatening the beekeeping 

 industry with extinction. 



This is at the same time a disadvantage and an advantage— dis- 

 advantage because the action of European foulbrood is often so rapid 

 that it soon kills all the bees belonging to the careless person; an 

 advantage because the progressive beekeeper can Control the disease 

 without destroying the combs, and further, the introduction of 

 good Italian queens is a large factor in its control. 



It may be confidently stated that if every colony of bees in New 

 Jersey should be furnished with a good Italian queen, European 

 foKlbrood would be reduced 75 per cent within a year 



